there were 227,000 new farm -- nonfarm jobs in february. the health care and social systems. it says unemployment rate remain unchanged at 8.3%. greece says many of its private sector investors have agreed to accept big losses on greek government bonds they hold. banks and other private creditors hold over 200 billion euros worth of greek government bonds. the greek government announced on friday that 83.5% of its

bondholders have voluntarily agreed to the debt reduction deal. the government plans to use legislation to force other creditors to sign up for the deal. it says this step would bring the total amount of participation up to 95.7%. in a statement the finance minister thanked those creditors who have agreed to accept the losses in what he called a historic attempt. he said greece will carry out further measures necessary for restoring its fiscal health and sustainable economic growth. china's inflation in february showed the slowest pace of the increase in the year in eight months. the country's national bureau of statistics said on friday that the consumer price index went up 3.2% last month from a year earlier. that's much lower than 4.5% in january. it's the smallest rise since june 2010 when the cpi grew 2.9%. the slowdown comes as the chinese government has repeatedly tightened monetary

policy to fight inflation. the statistics bureau points out that food prices came down after surging down the chinese new year holidays in late january. earlier this week the premier told the national people's congress that consumer prices still remain high due to soaring materials prices. the chinese government has set this year's inflation target at 4%, the same as last year. the country says its domestic car sales for the first two months of 2012 have marked a year on year drop. the slower auto market is fuelling concerns for the world's second largest economy as the industry is related to the steel and electronic sectors. the china association of automobile manufacturers announced on friday the combined sales in january and february showed about 6% drop from the same period a year earlier. analysts say chinese consumers have been reluctant to purchase new cars due to the deepening european debt crisis and cuts in government subsidies for fuel

efficient cars. next we go to bangkok to find out what's going on in the region. >> thailand's prime minister is currently visiting japan. in an exclusive interview with nhk on friday she pledged to continue efforts to bolster thailand's flood defenses. and she praised cooperation with japan as thailand fights to protect its position as the manufacturing hub of southeast asia.

>> she also said her government is planning to give more incentives to encourage companies to invest. they include a fund worth $1.5 billion for disaster insurance.

>> about the ongoing moves toward demock ratization in myanmar, the prime minister said thailand would like to play its part.

>> to india now where the government has revoked the visa of a japanese woman scheduled to speak at a conference about nuclear energy. india is one of many emerging economies looking to nuclear power to meet its growing energy needs. the disaster at fukushima daiichi gave new purpose to the anti-nuclear movement in india. environmental organization greenpeace said it invited the 25-year-old woman from fukushima city to india. she was due to speak at an event marking the anniversary of the nuclear disaster at the fukushima daiichi power plant. the woman is active in a civic group trying to protect children from radiation exposure. the indian embassy in japan said earlier this month that the

woman's visa had been revoked. in india operation of a just completed nuclear power plant had to be delayed amid public protests. india last month also deported a german man accused of taking part in anti-nuclear campaigns. the government seems to be increasingly nervous about the anti-nuclear movement that tries to secure its energy supply. in myanmar, democratization and reforms are exciting many foreign businesses. they think of the country as the last frontier in southeast asia. companies from japan are no exception. dozens of them are taking part in an exhibition of japanese electronics, cosmetics and other products that opened on friday. >> the japan festival brought together exhibitors from 45

firms and affiliates. it's the first exhibition of its kind in myanmar to introduce such a range of japanese products. economic sanctions against the military government prevent many foreign firms from entering myanmar. local visitors enjoy interacting with the electronic appliances they barely handled before. >> translator: japanese products have better quality and last longer than goods from other countries. >> translator: these days myanmar is opening up quite quickly. we are attracted to its growing potential for the future. >> reporter: the event's main sponsor is the japan external trade organization. it says the level of inquiries from firms considering entering myanmar has increased sharply.

the total about 300 between april and december last year. about 50% more than the year earlier. myanmar is changing rapidly. companies from all over the world are eagerly watching the developments in this emerging market. they hope sanctions will soon be lifted. and that the business opportunity of a lifetime will follow. >> and that wraps up our bulletin. >> the head of the chinese city of has denied speculation that his deputy's ouster will affect the top communist party leadership turnover that is expected this fall. he's widely expected to join the standing committee. he held a news conference on the

sidelines of national people's congress. he talked about his deputy who was dismissed as the city's police chief in february and then visited the u.s. consulate general. he has been under investigation for corruption and the other charges since he left the u.s. mission. there is speculation that he sought asylum in the u.s., but was rejected. >> translator: i did criticize jun. but i never imagined he would rush to the u.s. consulate. >> he declined to disclose why he criticized him and only said the matter is an isolated incide incident. he denied a report that he had tendered his resignation. some observers say the series of developments may have an impact on china's change of leadership. china has enjoyed growth over the past several years and has left the leaders of other countries envious.

but the premier trimmed the target this week and it's still 7.5%. chinese leaders say they want to make economic development more sustainable. >> reporter: today's report focuses on environmental conservation and a group of citizens who have decided to take matters in their own hands. china faces some severe environmental problems. whole ecosystems are under threat. the government says it is trying to protect as many as 250 species of wildlife that are on the verge of extinction. one such animal that is barely holding on lives in the longest river in china. porpoises can be found in coastal waters around asia. but the finless por miss of this river is the only species that

lives in fresh water. at last count the population stood at 1,000. the number has dropped by half in the last six years. this lake used to be teaming by porpoises it is the country's second largest fresh water lake. a search last year found only 100 of the endangered animals. this journalist grew up near the lake. when he heard the finless porpoise was on the verge of extension, he decided to act. in january he and some friends set up a conservation group. >> translator: the finless porpoise is god's gift to humanity. sit a mammal and living being just like us.

human beings have no right to wipe out this vulnerable creature. >> reporter: he knows that time is against them. another animal unique to the area is already believed to be extinct. the chinese river dolphin is mentioned in asian records and stories. locals called it the goddess of the river. but a study in 2006 failed to find a single dolphin alive. he is determined to protect the finless porpoise from the same fate. key problems are overfishing and environmental damage. his group is asking people in the fishing industry to help. >> translator: did you know that the finless porpoise is on the verge of extinction? >> i haven't seen any lately.

i don't know why they may have become extinct. >> translator: we're working to protect the finless porpoise. will you support us? >> reporter: sand dredging is a major reason the finless porpoise is in such danger. the dredgers haul up sand from the lake bottom. but that's not all. they also scoop out living organisms and plants. destroying the habitat where porpoises feed. another hazard is lek troe fishing. the use of an electric charge to stun fish before they are caught. it's illegal but it's still widely practiced. this group member is patrolling the lake on the lookout for electro fishing. he is a fisherman himself.

>> translator: please call me if you find anybody electro fishing or find any injured porpoises. >> reporter: he believes that preventing excessive fishing can help protect the lake's resources. >> translator: being a fisherman other fisherman always ask what they're supposed to do if i don't allow them to fish. i tell them they should fish based on traditional practices passed on by our ancestors to not harm nature and respect other species. >> reporter: the porpoise protection group is also trying to spread its conservation message on sign boards. the group hopes to create a sanctuary to promote porpoise sightseeing tours. >> translator: what humans did to the chinese river dolphin is inexcusable. are we going to allow the same thing to happen to the finless

porpoise? we are all responsible. >> reporter: one expert i talked to says it would be difficult to protect the species as long as development in the areas continues. this researcher works at the chinese academy of sciences in a city on the river. the research at his facility focuses on the ecology and natural breeding practices of the finless porpoise. but he says development in china poses a dilemma for environmental conservation. >> because there is so many activities going on in the river and because the government -- i mean the country has to be -- we have no way to stop those activities in the river. >> reporter: the one bright spot

in all this is arriving number of citizen groups. they work on a volunteer basis without help from the government. but they are raising public awareness and that's got more chinese thinking about the environmental cost of economic development. >> elementary students in the state of new jersey have made a message to encourage japanese students affected by last year's tsuna tsunami. after the earthquake soond tsunami, a boy proposed writing to children in the disaster hit areas of japan. the studenting began corresponding with a school in northeastern japan and have now

exchanged over 800 letters. on thursday about 40 u.s. students gathered at the gymnasium to make a video. the children wrote their names on a flag that will be sent to the element stair school. >> i'm sad for the tsunami, but we're helping them. >> we're trying to get this sent down just to say we still remember about you, how are you doing? we still care about you. >> they want to continue the exchanges with japanese students and hopefully one day they will be able to meet. let's get a check of the weather from mai. is it likely to snow in tokyo other the weekend? >> certainly possible here in

and around tokyo we're experiencing chilly rain as of now and on saturday the temperatures are going to be dipping down to about 4 degrees for the low. so that could trigger the rain precipitation to turn to snow. the main precipitation will be rain and more likely to see snow. that's going to be across the area until saturday afternoon. another low pressure system will be approaching northern japan. sea of japan side is going to be seeing lots of snowfall to accumulate there in towards the weekend. accumulation into saturday morning will be about 20 centimeters. lingering showers here in southern china will be tapering off which is very good news but another round of drenching rain could be targeting the area that the land is already saturated. ground moisture is very high already. no small amount of rain is

welcome here. there are chances of some heavy downpours yet again. heavy downpours also in southern thailand could be targeted and skirting across the indochina peninsula chances of thunderstorms will be remaining over the weekend. bangkok 34 degrees. chances of thunderstorm activity there. and a pair of 8s in beijing. seoul looking at tokyo at 6 for the saturday high. still yet again another wintry weather there. and a long winter they're experiencing at-10 for the high. let's head over to the americas. finally things in the east are going to be making a great improvement as this cold front leaves the land masses. we'll still see some snow showers across the great lakes region and then towards new england. and then towards the gulf states finally things are going to be tapering off, yet again starting about sunday, the front is going to be back towards the area so the zone of drenching rain could

be targeting louisiana, texas, arkansas, just around the arklatex region. the total amounts could exceed about 150 millimeters in some areas. things are going to get gusty in the pacific northwest. temperaturewise seattle 11 degrees and vancouver at 8. summer in los angeles. 27 with lots of sunshine. oklahoma city at 16 degrees. and toronto 3 degrees with some snow flurries. let's head over to europe. very strong low pressure system is going to be developing. as it intensifies moves towards the mediterranean sea area. the target zone is northeastern algeria and tunisia and towards southern italy. chances of thunderstorms will be on the increase in the weekend. gusty condition in scotland will be prevailing there. yet again another potent winter system will be bringing wintry mix especially towards the coastal areas of norway.

things could get heavy there. very dry still in the iberian peninsula. we want the precipitation here. we're not going to get any for the next couple of days. temperaturewise lisbon at 21. london at 15. towards the east wintry, moscow minus 4. i'll leave you now for the extended forecast.

that's our broadcast for this hour on "newsline." we'll be back with more news in half an hour. thank you for watching. bye-bye. . .